It's been a few months since I updated the blog and Latest Work gallery, and rather a lot is going on! Here are the headlines, and you can scroll down for further information on each:

1. My work won a substantial cash prize.

2. My two largest paintings, currently on display, are part of the "Summer of Love - Flower Power Happy Hour" Art Walk on July 20.

3. MUNI? Maybe.

4. Looking ahead: Open Studios

5. Where to see the work Right Now!

1. Cash Prize

I was successful in an art competition I entered and received my first-ever ridiculously oversized June 22! (One tick off the bucket list.)

LA VICTORIA Brand foods is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year with special dinners along the Pacific Coast (San Diego, LA, San Francisco, and Portland). Each event features a stellar four-course meal, live music, and art from local artists. I applied to be one of the San Francisco finalists and was notified two or three weeks ago that I had been shortlisted. Finalists were asked to create a new piece featuring the LA VICTORIA brand, within the theme of “Modern West Coast Lifestyle.”

Since California's history as an agricultural powerhouse meets its modern cosmopolitan identity in San Francisco foodie culture, I chose to use the setting of the San Francisco Ferry Building marketplace to depict my spin on Modern West Coast Lifestyle. It was a fun piece to create (though more detailed than I quite anticipated).

2. "Summer of Love - Flower Power Happy Hour" Art Walk on July 20

Two of my largest paintings, each six feet square (1.83 meters square), are currently on display at two venues in the Union Square area of San Francisco through approximately Labor Day. They are my third and fourth exhibitions in ArtSpan's Art-in-Neighborhoods program.

At the hotel Adagio: Gerald

At the Mosser Hotel: Vicinity

An especially social way to see them in person is to join the "Summer of Love - Flower Power Happy Hour" Art Walk on July 20, when five venues will have a rolling happy hour from 4:30 until 9:00 pm. I'll be at the Hotel Mosser from 4:30 until about 5:45, then at the Hotel Adagio from 6:00 to 8:00. I can tell you from personal experience that the Mosser Hotel and its restaurant, The Keystone, put on a great spread, and I expect the other venues will, as well. The event is free and does not require reservations. I hope to see you there!

All five venues are within walking distance (0.7 miles total area). The full art walk can be completed in 15 minutes, but you'll want to stick around for more at each happy hour event. Click here for a map: http://bit.ly/2r02wsD

3. MUNI? Maybe.

I've thrown my hat in the ring to make artworks for the interior of San Francisco city buses in 2018. The program seeks to pair art and poetry through a 25-year old national program called Poetry in Motion®. The application required a visual interpretation of the Diane di Prima poem shown below. As someone who has sung thousands of poems and set a couple dozen to music, I'm intrigued by the possibilities of this new avenue of expression.

4. Looking ahead: Open Studios

SF Open Studios continues to grow and will encompass five weekends this year. I will be exhibiting Weekend 3, October 28 & 29, at 500 De Haro Street (cross street: Mariposa). Save the date!

5. Where to see the work Right Now!

The central place for information about the work is right here at www.PriestDesign.com, including galleries of representative work, information on how to acquire the work (including links to my online shops), and means to contact me.

The most up-to-date information appears on my Facebook page, where I share snapshots of work in progress and news items like everything contained in this email in an ongoing manner as things arise: https://www.facebook.com/MatthewPriestFineArt/

Younger and more digital friends have told me to use Instagram as well, and I have made that a goal for July. I'll send information about that effort in a later blog post and on Facebook.